Improvement in electric clocks



V. AHlm/IER.

Electric ClockI No. 98,593. Patented Jan. 4, 1870.

AMWMM/ F/WM me Z Amma/ lllnittll tatt @tutti (Militia.

VI'IALIS HIMMER., OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR. TO HIMSELF, W. HEISSENBUT- TLE, AND JAMES MCMULLEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 98,593, dated January 4, 1870.

- IMPROVEMENT. IN ELECTRIC CLOCKS..

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Vrrams Hrmmn, o'f the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Electric Clock; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled iu the'rt to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a face view of my improved electric clock.

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicateI corresponding parte.

This invention relates to a new clock, which is operated by electricity, without the use of a pendulum, but with the aid of' a spring-balance, and which is so constructed that it will operate with absolute exactness, and not be aiected by atmospheric intluences. l

rlhe invention consists, chiefly', in connecting the oscillating armature, which iw moved partly by the electro-magnets, partlyl by i own weight, with an arm that will counteract tb balance-spring, and reverse the motion of the bal .icc-wheel.

The invention also consiits iu providing a stop on the balance-wheel, which, during one motion ofthe wheel, will move a, lever, to break the electric current, whereby the motion of the balance-wheel is reversed.

The invent-ion consists, further, in the employment of an anchor, which is attached to the oscillating armature, and which, engaging in the teeth of a wheel, imparts intermittent rotary motion to such wheel, thereby propelling the hands ot the clock.

A B, in the drawing, are two magnetic coils, placed horizontally at a suitable distance apart, with their poles a b flattened at the upper and lower sides, respectively, as, shown iu fig. 1.

C is the armature, made in form of a bar, and pivot-ed, by a pin, c, to the frame D of the clock.

lVhen attlacted by the poles a b, one' end will be pulled down upon a, and the other drawn up toward b, as indicated in iig. 1. That end of the armature nearest to b is weighted, as at d.

lVhen the electric current is broken, the weight will dran its end down, and thereby bring the armature away from both poles.

The alternate closing and breaking of the circuit will, therefore, have the effect of oscillating the armaturel on its pivots.

From the armature projects downward a spring-:u m, E, which, during the motion of the armature, is brought in contact witha cam or stud, e, projecting from the axle f of a balance-wheel, F.

The balance-spring g tends to move the wheel F iu the direction of the arrow 1 the arm e throws it in the opposite direction.

A stud, h, ou the balance-wheel shaft is, during every other motion of the wliecl, brought against one arm of an elbow-lever, G.

The said lever acts with its other arm against a spring-bar, H, which, by its own power, is held in coutact with a standard, I, while it is iastened to another standard, J.

One wire, K, from the battery,-is fastened to the standard J, thc other, L, to one ot'A the electro-magnets, and thence carried to the standard I. Thus, when the4 spring H is in metallic contact with the standard I, .the two wires are'couuected, and an electric circuit is established. lVhen, however, the stud h throws the lever G, so as to mise the spring H, the metallic connection will cease, and the circuit is broken.

On the armature-lever C is secured' an anchor, M', which engages wit-l1 its points between the teeth of a wheel, N, so that the oscillations of the armatuieand anchor will, by striking the teeth of N, revolve the same.

The secondhand of the clock may be set upon the axle i ot' The same axle has a pinion, j, meshing intothe teeth ot' a wheel, l, ou a shaft, O. Said shalt O carries other toothed wheels 'in aud n, which mesh respectively into the teeth of wheels o p, that ane hung on the shaft i, and that carry, on their tubular shafts, the minute and hour-hands, respectively.

'The arrangement of wheels may be modified to any desired extent, although it cannot be simplified. The anchor may have but one arm, which, `during every other stroke, will serve to move the wheel N; thereby a more noticeable movement of the second-hand would be produced, and a very correct indication ot the seconds.

The operation is as follows:

When the circuit is closed by the contact of H and I, the armature is drawn up by the pole b, and, by being drawn up, it moves the balance-wheel back against the balance-spring, and causes the stud hto move the lever G, and to break the current.

\Vhen the ciirrent is broken, the armature drops 01T the poles byl the weight, and releases the balancewheel, so that the same may be acted on by the balance-spring; thereby the lever G is also released, and will be thrown back by the spring H, which drops upon I, and re-establishes the current. Thus, when the current is closed, the mechanism moves to break it, and when broken, the mechanism serves to close it.

A from the pivot c,

A click, a, is employed ou the wheel N, to prevent ticable.

Y hands.

By adjusting the weight d more or less far :may

the motion can be regulated.

the same from turning in the wrong direction.Y Y This instrument will be a very correct timeand can be used to great sels, and wherever a keeper, advantage on board of vespendulum is not desired or prac- In place of the weight d, a permanent maignet, weakerthan Athe electro-magnets, and act-ing on the insulated end of the armature-lever, or a spring tion ol' the clock would not acct its action.

Having thus described my invent-ion,

I clnim ns new, andl desire toA secure by Letters Patent- Y.

The oscillating armature-lever C, acted upon by the electro-magnets A B, in one direction, and by a weigh t, orits equivalent, in the other direction, and connected with tile arm E, and with the anchor M, to more the hands and reverse the motiu of the4 balance-wheel, substantially as herein shown and described.

VITALIS HIMMER. Vitnesses:

ALEX. F. ROBERTS, FRAM; BLooxLEY.

my be employed. In this oase, the change of posi-- 

